Well, I tuned my soprano down a tone for giggles and lo and behold, it sounds ... better, me thinks. Anyone else found this? Perhaps I need new strings.
I also put G tuning strings on my tenor (Aquila re-entrant), tuned it up a semi-tone by mistake and it also sounded a whole lot better. Better than down in G that is. Probably not better or worse than C tuning though, just different. Maybe louder though.

Interesting.

Jim Hanks

11-06-2016, 12:44 PM

Well, most people tune the tenor down to Bb and the soprano up to D, but if you want to do it on the "wrong" instruments, go right ahead. :p

Mivo

11-06-2016, 01:03 PM

Bb didn't work for me on any of my sopranos, but D (aDF#B) works great on them. I only have one soprano in C tuning, the Famous FS-5G because it'S designed for that tuning (or so I believe; heavily compensated for those strings it comes with, which don't work well in D tuning). I think Bb is a good choice for tenors. I'd probably find the tension too low on a soprano (C is borderline too floppy for me).

What soprano is it?

ukulately

11-07-2016, 01:47 AM

Yeh I'll try Bb on the tenor too, see what happens.

jimavery

11-07-2016, 02:07 AM

I can't say I've tried Bb on a soprano yet. I tend to buy strings for D tuning so tuning down a couple of tones would just make them too floppy. Having said that I have a set of Pyramid nylon strings which seem much too tight even in C tuning. I was going to try them on a concert, but maybe I'll give Bb on a soprano a go instead.

Mivo

11-07-2016, 03:24 AM

I only have one soprano in C tuning, the Famous FS-5G because it'S designed for that tuning (or so I believe; heavily compensated for those strings it comes with, which don't work well in D tuning).

Two now, actually. I switched my koa Black Bear soprano back to Living Water strings and C tuning. Love those strings, but feel they sound best in C. Seems like I now use different strings on each instrument I have. Ah well! :)